Hyperbaric chambers are commonly used in the fields of diving and hyperbaric medicine. Hyperbaric chambers are pressurized vessels designed for human occupancy, and can be designed with either a soft or hard shelled construction. The act of pressurizing air generates heat in the enclosed environment of the hyperbaric chamber. As a result, hyperbaric chambers without a cooling system result in a very hot and uncomfortable environment.
Because of the heat generated in a hyperbaric chamber, many existing hyperbaric chambers include some sort of cooling system. Cooling systems utilize various methods and equipments, including chillers and chlorofluorocarbon based coolers, such as Freon. These cooling systems are used to moderate the temperature in hyperbaric chambers, cooling the air to comfortable levels for occupants. However, these methods have drawbacks. Chillers have issues with condensation and mold, and also tend to be high maintenance. Chlorofluorocarbon based coolers have no sound reducing qualities and have potentially harmful effects on certain individuals and the environment. In general, existing cooling solutions are some combination of loud, unsanitary, hazardous, and difficult to maintain.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system for cooling a mild hyperbaric chamber with a passive design. The present invention accomplishes this by arranging a series of pressure relief valves between a compressor, a cooling unit, and hyperbaric chamber, where the present invention cools the compressed air by reducing pressure of the compressed air on its path to the hyperbaric chamber from the compressor.